Swedish swimmer Therese Alshammar said Wednesday the sport’s swimsuit rules were sexist, after she became the first swimmer to be stripped of a world record under the new laws.
Alshammar set a world record of 25.44 in the 50 metre butterfly Tuesday at the Australian Swimming Championships, shaving 0.02 seconds of her existing world mark, but was disqualified for wearing two swimming suits. The Swede said she was trying to preserve her modesty in the hi-tech suits, which are skin tight and can become see-through.
She slammed Swimming Australia laws introduced late last year, which allow female swimmers to wear bikini bottoms or briefs under their suits but not an entire costume.
“I thought a modesty suit would be a modesty suit,” Alshammar told Channel 10 television. “I would almost claim that’s a bit sexist saying that the men can cover their private parts up with briefs and women can only also wear briefs.
“I would totally, even though I’m Swedish, understand that a modesty suit would be to cover your modest parts. I guess you can’t even wear a modesty suit any more.” The 31-year-old was competing at the Australian meet as a training foreigner as she prepares for her bid to secure a spot on the Swedish team for the world titles in Rome next July.
The sport’s world governing body FINA has also introduced rules similar to those adopted in Australia.